Sue Johanson, body image, healthy sex life, Oxygen's Talk Sex with Sue Johanson

Did you know that 43% of first- through third-grade-girls wish they were skinnier? And for 18 year olds that number rises to 78%. (According to the Eating Disorders Coalition.)  Having a poor body image can affect every aspect of your life—from the boardroom to the bedroom and it’s possible that your insecurities are barring you from a great sex life. To take a look into the messed up world of women, sex and body image, we turned to Sue Johanson, registered nurse, sexual educator and host of Oxygen’s Talk Sex with Sue Johanson.

Savvy Miss: Is it common for a woman to worry about the way her body looks while she’s having sex?
Sue Johanson: Absolutely. Particularly in a new relationship that’s not well established, where the trust level is not very high and where your partner is not a great communicator. If you feel that your body won’t compare to Britney Spears’s—and you do wear underwear [laughs]—then having sex with the lights on is disconcerting.

SM: How do you think these body image worries impact our sex lives?
Sue Johanson: The first time you have sex with any new partner, it’s usually the missionary position because that’s the one that allows you to be the most covered up. With you on top, all he can see is your head and maybe your shoulders. So the rest of you, your cellulite and your stretch marks, aren’t going to show. I’ve worked with a couple who’d been in a relationship for months and the woman would not have sex with her t-shirt off. I just couldn’t understand why someone would want to have sex with her shirt on.